1.05.2007

Hodge on Theism

Theism is the doctrine of an extra-mundane, personal God, the creator, preserver, and governor of the world. The design of all arguments on this subject is to show that the facts around us, and the facts of consciousness, necessitate the assumption of the existence of such a Being. The arguments usually urged on this subject are the Ontological, the Cosmological, the Teleological, and the Moral. (v 1, p 204)


  1. An ontological argument for the existence of God is an argument that God's existence can be proved a priori, that is, by intuition and reason alone. Wiki: Ontological argument
  2. The Cosmological Argument: This is founded on the principle of a sufficient cause. Syllogistically stated, the argument stands thus: Every effect must have an adequate cause. The world is an effect. Therefore the world must have had a cause outside of itself and adequate to account for its existence (p. 208)
  3. The Teleological Argument: Design supposes a designer. The world everywhere exhibits marks of design. Therefore the world owes its existence to an intelligent author. (p 217)
  4. The Moral, or Anthropological Argument: As the image of the sun reflected from a mirror, or the smooth surface of a lake, reveals to us that the sun is, and what it is; so the soul of man, just as clearly, and just as certainly, reveals that God is and what He is. The reflection of the sun does not teach us everything that is true concerning that luminary; it does not reveal its internal constitution, nor tell us how its light and heat are maintained from age to age. In like manner the soul, as the image of God, does not reveal all that God is. In both cases, and equally in both cases, what is revealed is true, that is, trustworthy. (p 233)




Kathee, Roger and I reviewed and discussed these tonight. For me, and perhaps I do not completely understand it, the Ontological does not resonate.

Psalm 14:1, The fool has said in his heart,“There is no God.”


Further reading:

Quinquae viae

Thomas Aquinas

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